To eat surrounded by lush greenery in this town, most people head to Dempsey Hill. And it’s great, but a tad expensive if you’re not careful. So it’s no surprise that a couple more no frills eateries have opened in green spaces (think Gillman Barrack’s The Naked Finn and Park at Holland Village Park). GRUB’s part of these new generation shack restos and it’s got a sweet location at Bishan Park, right next to a lovely stream. The eatery has great vibe: Fresh, idealist and full of bohemian values. The food is sustainably sourced where possible; they don’t take reservations (like good equal opportunity folk) and the young staff’s eager to please. There’s a sense that you’re hitting a pioneering neighborhood joint before the area gets really gentrified. The crowd’s a genuine mix of hipsters and area residents, and we appreciate the house track of ‘90s indie tunes, plus the urban (if a little overdone) outfittings like exposed light bulbs. The food’s the kind of thing we could eat every day, unfussy recipes including the GRUB cheeseburger ($11)—a mite over seasoned and dry but made from 100% grass fed beef—and the meltingly tender pork belly with mango sauce ($15), which you can wash down with value-for-money craft brews ($10). They also do good brunch: Order some French toast with garlic pork sausage ($12) before going on a nice walk in the park—it beats jostling the weekend morning crowds at Dempsey by a mile. The food can be a little hit or miss, so it’s not quite a destination restaurant. But it’s got the right spirit and if we lived in the hood’, we’d be here constantly.
When the weather is good, eating outside can be a truly enjoyable dining experience. These joints with charming open air areas are just the place to dine on breezy evenings.
